Sustainable Development - Ideas and Imaginaries from Coursera

Ideas and imaginaries inspire human capacity for great endeavours, but ‘conventional wisdom’ frequently prevents necessary change. Achievement of global sustainable development is, therefore, dependent on a profound comprehension of the preunderstandings and implicit imaginaries that form both our perception of reality and our basic confidence in the viability of transgressive action.

The present-day concept and ideal of sustainable development contains many interlaced meanings and many contradictions. In order to bring out the concept’s indisputable transformative potential, and be able to gain support, promote decision-making and take action in it, it is, therefore, requisite to disentangle this mélange and shed light to the implicit preunderstandings .

This course will contribute to doing so by focusing on the historical roots and multiple layers of meaning of sustainable development, and by exploring questions such as: ‘What is the historical background of the current Sustainable Development Goals?’, ‘Which imaginaries about relations between individual and collective tend to promote and prevent sustainable solutions?’, ‘How can ideas about humans and nature affect global development?’, And ‘how do we as humans react on inconstant notions of time and change?’

During this course, you will meet associate professor in history Bo Fritzbøger from Centre for Sustainable Futures as the primary lecturer and a range of cultural, natural and social scientists, all from the University of Copenhagen working with different aspects of sustainability thinking.

We hope that you will join us in the course and qualify your participation in current discussions about how to achieve common sustainable development in a divided world.

What's inside

Syllabus

The conceptual history of sustainability and sustainable development

This module will introduce you to those historical processes that joined environmentalism and developmentalism into the concept ‘sustainable development’, and to the challenges emerging from the encounter of physical planetary boundaries with social limits to human livelihood.

Ideas about individuals and society

This module will introduce you to a variety of ideas about where sustainable solutions are going to come from by focusing e.g. on constituent based regulative political decision-making vs. the aggregate economic power of multifarious individual consumer choices, and on the ideals of universal human rights.

Ideas about relations between humans and nature

This module centres on various interpretations of human relations to nature, to attaining knowledge about nature, and to some ethical considerations pertinent when interacting with other biological species.

Ideas about time and change

This module presents some prevalent ideas about time and change while focusing specifically on the history of post-colonial developmentalism, the political hegemony of universally infinite economic growth, and the supposed transition from a linear to an exponential time regime.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

An exploration of the historical roots and multiple meanings of sustainable development

Taught by a primary lecturer who is associate professor in history from Centre for Sustainable Futures and a range of cultural, natural and social scientists, all from the University of Copenhagen working with different aspects of sustainability thinking

Develops critical thinking and analysis skills through its focus on understanding the preunderstandings and implicit imaginaries that form our perception of reality

Examines pressing issues such as the historical background of the current Sustainable Development Goals, the imaginaries about relations between individual and collective, and the ideas about humans and nature

Provides a strong foundation for students interested in pursuing further studies or careers in the field of sustainability

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Sustainable Development - Ideas and Imaginaries with these activities:

Compile a list of resources on sustainability

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Gather and organize a collection of resources related to sustainability to support your learning.

Browse courses on Sustainability

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Identify and collect relevant articles, websites, books, and other resources on sustainability.
Organize the resources into a central location, such as a digital folder or online platform.
Create a system for categorizing and labeling the resources for easy retrieval.

Follow tutorials on applying sustainability principles to real-world problems

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Learn practical techniques for applying sustainability principles to real-world challenges.

Browse courses on Sustainability

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Identify online tutorials or workshops that focus on applying sustainability principles to real-world problems.
Follow the tutorials, taking notes on the key concepts and techniques.
Apply the techniques to a real-world problem of your choice.

Attend a workshop on a specific aspect of sustainability

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Attend a workshop to deepen your understanding of a specific aspect of sustainability.

Browse courses on Sustainability

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Identify a workshop on a specific aspect of sustainability that you are interested in.
Register for the workshop and attend all sessions.
Take notes during the workshop and ask questions to clarify your understanding.

Five other activities

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Develop a concept map of sustainability

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Create a visual representation of the key concepts and relationships within the field of sustainability.

Browse courses on Sustainability

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Brainstorm a list of key terms and concepts related to sustainability.
Identify the relationships between these terms and concepts.
Organize the terms and concepts into a hierarchical or network structure.
Create a visual representation of the concept map.

Participate in a peer learning group to discuss sustainability issues

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Exchange ideas and learn from other students with diverse perspectives on sustainability.

Browse courses on Sustainability

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Find or create a peer learning group with other students in the course.
Meet regularly to discuss course materials, share research, and engage in debates on sustainability issues.
Take turns leading discussions and presenting different perspectives on sustainability.

Complete practice exercises on sustainable development goals

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Test your understanding of the specific goals and targets of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Browse courses on Sustainable Development Goals

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Find online or textbook-based practice exercises on the Sustainable Development Goals.
Complete the exercises, checking your answers against the provided answer key.
Review your answers and identify areas where you need further study.

Review 'A Sand County Almanac' by Aldo Leopold

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Read this classic work in the field of environmental ethics to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between humans and the natural world.

View Think Like a Mountain on Amazon

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Read the book, taking notes on key concepts and ideas.
Summarize the main arguments and themes of the book in your own words.
Discuss the book with other students or a mentor to gain different perspectives.

Develop a sustainability plan for a local organization or community

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Apply your understanding of sustainability to a practical project by developing a plan for a local organization or community.

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Identify a local organization or community that you would like to develop a sustainability plan for.
Research the organization or community's current sustainability practices and challenges.
Develop a set of sustainability goals and objectives for the organization or community.
Identify and evaluate potential sustainability initiatives that could be implemented to achieve the goals and objectives.
Create a sustainability plan that outlines the initiatives, timelines, and resources needed to implement the plan.

Career center

Learners who complete Sustainable Development - Ideas and Imaginaries will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Sustainability Consultant

A sustainability consultant helps organizations assess their environmental and social impact and develop strategies to reduce their negative impact. This course can help you prepare for a career as a sustainability consultant by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the concept of sustainable development and the challenges and opportunities it presents. You will also learn about the different tools and techniques that sustainability consultants use to help organizations achieve their sustainability goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sustainability Consultant

Climate Change Analyst

A climate change analyst studies the causes and effects of climate change and develops policies to mitigate climate change. This course can help you prepare for a career as a climate change analyst by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the science of climate change and the challenges and opportunities it presents. You will also learn about the different tools and techniques that climate change analysts use to study climate change and develop policies to mitigate climate change.

See salaries and explore the career path for Climate Change Analyst

Environmental Scientist

An environmental scientist studies the environment and develops solutions to environmental problems. This course can help you prepare for a career as an environmental scientist by providing you with a strong foundation in the science of sustainability. You will learn about the different types of environmental problems, the causes of these problems, and the potential solutions. You will also learn about the different tools and techniques that environmental scientists use to study the environment and develop solutions to environmental problems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Scientist

Environmental Policy Analyst

An environmental policy analyst analyzes environmental policies and develops recommendations for policy changes. This course can help you prepare for a career as an environmental policy analyst by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of environmental policies, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that environmental policy analysts use to analyze environmental policies and develop recommendations for policy changes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Policy Analyst

Renewable Energy Project Developer

A renewable energy project developer develops and manages renewable energy projects. This course can help you prepare for a career as a renewable energy project developer by providing you with a strong foundation in the science and technology of renewable energy. You will also learn about the different types of renewable energy projects, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that renewable energy project developers use to develop and manage renewable energy projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Renewable Energy Project Developer

Sustainability Manager

A sustainability manager develops and implements sustainability programs for organizations. This course can help you prepare for a career as a sustainability manager by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the concept of sustainable development and the challenges and opportunities it presents. You will also learn about the different tools and techniques that sustainability managers use to develop and implement sustainability programs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sustainability Manager

Environmental Lawyer

An environmental lawyer specializes in environmental law and helps clients comply with environmental regulations. This course can help you prepare for a career as an environmental lawyer by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of environmental laws, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that environmental lawyers use to help clients comply with environmental regulations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Lawyer

Corporate Social Responsibility Manager

A corporate social responsibility manager develops and implements corporate social responsibility programs for organizations. This course can help you prepare for a career as a corporate social responsibility manager by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the concept of corporate social responsibility and the challenges and opportunities it presents. You will also learn about the different tools and techniques that corporate social responsibility managers use to develop and implement corporate social responsibility programs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Corporate Social Responsibility Manager

Environmental Educator

An environmental educator teaches people about the environment and how to protect it. This course can help you prepare for a career as an environmental educator by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of environmental issues, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that environmental educators use to teach people about the environment and how to protect it.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Educator

Science Writer

A science writer writes about science and technology for a general audience. This course may be useful if you are interested in a career as a science writer by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of science and technology issues, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that science writers use to write about science and technology for a general audience.

See salaries and explore the career path for Science Writer

Journalist

A journalist writes about current events for a general audience. This course may be useful if you are interested in a career as a journalist by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of current events, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that journalists use to write about current events for a general audience.

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Policy Analyst

A policy analyst analyzes policies and develops recommendations for policy changes. This course may be useful if you are interested in a career as a policy analyst by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of policies, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that policy analysts use to analyze policies and develop recommendations for policy changes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Policy Analyst

Public Health Educator

A public health educator teaches people about public health issues and how to improve their health. This course may be useful if you are interested in a career as a public health educator by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of public health issues, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that public health educators use to teach people about public health issues and how to improve their health.

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Teacher

A teacher teaches students about a variety of subjects. This course may be useful if you are interested in a career as a teacher by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of subjects, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that teachers use to teach students about a variety of subjects.

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Researcher

A researcher conducts research on a variety of topics. This course may be useful if you are interested in a career as a researcher by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of research, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the different tools and techniques that researchers use to conduct research on a variety of topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Researcher